Drop pit apparatus



NOV. '5, 1939. CHRIST; 2,178,624

DROP PIT APPARATUS Filed Nov. 21, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 7, 1939. H.K. CHRISTIE DROP PIT APPARATUS Filed Nov. 21, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 m Tw R H c K H DROP P IT APPARATUS Filed Nov. 21, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3Nov. 7, 1939.

H. K. CHRISTIE DROP PIT APPARATUS Filed Nov. 21, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 aw 4 a. 5 .WJ/ l3 "7 2 9 000 3 000 n E a w a W. 1 0000 Wu 0000 J 5 m a aPatented Nov. 7, 1939 STAS QFHQE DROP PIT APPARATUS Illinois ApplicationNovember 21, 1938, Serial No. 241,588

15 Claims.

The invention relates to drop pit apparatus for handling wheels andtrucks of railway equipment.

In drop pit apparatus for railway equipment which comprises a compounddrop table or one which is composed of sections for dropping either asingle pair of wheels of a truck or for dropping a complete truck, ithas heretofore been necessary to provide at least three pairs ofrail-sections to bridge the pit. In practice it is desirable to reducethe number of rail-sections and joints required for this purpose.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved compoundpit-bridging table which eliminates the necessity of more than two pairsof railsections. This object is accomplished primarily by providing atable which comprises a main section provided with beams for completelyspanning the pit and an auxiliary table-section which fits into anopen-ended space formed in one end of the main-section and is adapted tobe supported jointly from one side of the pit and from the table andmeeting rail-sections on the tablesections, the rail-sections on theauxiliary section terminating at one side of the pit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compound table of thistype, which comprises an auxiliary section which is conterminous withthe side-beams of the main-section which extend 30 completely across thepit, so that when a pair of wheels has been lowered and transferred andlifted to an adjoining track, it can be wheeled directly from saidsection onto a track of the roundhouse.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compound table in whichthe auxiliary section for dropping a single pair of wheels extendsbetween the main table-section and the pit and is supported partly fromthe pit-wall and partly from the main-section of the table.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means forselectively lifting one of the table-sections above track-level when asingle pair of wheels is to be disconnected from the truck. This objectis obtained by providing engaging elements between the lifting carriageand the table-sections whereby the lifting mechanism, which iscontrolled by the relative positions of the carriage under the table,will unitarily lift both sections or the table above track level when atruck is to be uncoupled from the locomotive, and shift only onetable-section above track-level for uncoupling a single pair of wheels.By utilizing the movement of the lifting carriage in the pit for thispurpose, lifting blocks which are movably connected to either thecarriage or the table, are dispensed with.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the detaileddescription.

The invention consists in the several novel features which arehereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by claims atthe. conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan of a drop-pit apparatus embodying the invention, partsbeing broken away for illustrative purposes. Fig. 2 is a perspective ofthe drop-table in track-bridging position. Fig. 3 is a perspective ofthe lifting carriage. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the drop pitapparatus in the pit, parts being shown in elevation. Fig. 5 is asection illustrating the gearing for operating the lifting-screws toraise and lower the liftingcarriage for the table. Fig. 6 is a sectionon line 65 of Fig. i. Fig. 7 is an end view of the drop-tableillustrating the auxiliary tablesection raised above track-level by thelifting mechanism. Fig. 8 is a perspective of the auxiliarytable-section, the flooring being omitted.

The invention is exemplified with a shop installation which usuallycomprises a series of tracks arranged in any suitable manner on the shopfloor with rails 11 terminating at the sides of a pit a, whichintersects the floor-tracks, a drop-table structure adapted to be raisedor lowered in the pit and composed of sections 0 and d, and a carriage ffor conjointly raising or lowering both table-sections or independentlyraising or lowering the table-section d.

The main table-section 0 comprises a pair of longitudinal I-beams it! atits sides and extending entirely across the pit; a cross I-beam llrigidly connecting the beams ii! at one end of table-section c; and across I-beam l2 fixed to and rigidly connecting beams It at a pointspaced some distance inwardly of the other end of table-section c. Thebeams l6 extend entirely across the pit so that table-section a can bereleasably supported directly from the pit-walls. The beam 12 is spacedfrom one side of the pit to leave an open-ended space between beams 10,beam l2 and one side-wall of the pit, in which table-section dfits.Longitudinal I-beams c are secured to and extend between cross-beams IIand i2 of table-section c to support rail-sections which terminate atthe outer sides of beams H and i2 and extend completely over the areabetween the outer sides of said beams. A floor c may be provided tocover the spaces between the beams of the table-section c. Table-sectionc is releasably supported from the pit-walls by four bolts 13 which areslidably mounted in fixed guides l4 adjacent the outer ends of beamsIll. The outer ends of bolts 13 are shiftable to engage I-beams e whichare built into the pitwalls. A hand-lever l5 at one side oftable-section is fixed to a transverse shaft 16 which is journaled inbeams l0 for simultaneously shifting all of the locking bolts l3.Oppositely extending arms I! on shaft H3 at the outer sides of beamsill, are connected by links I 8 to bolts l3. When the lever i is inposition illustrated in Fig. 1, the projecting ends of bolts l3 willrest on the beams e and support the beams l0 and the table-section c intrack-bridging position from the pit-walls. When the lever is shifted towithdraw the bolts l3 from engagement with beams e the table-section 0will be supported on and will be released so it can be raised by thelifting carriage.

The auxiliary table-section d is rectangular and fits in the open-endedspace between beams Ill and cross-beam H. of table-section c and itsouter end extends to the adjacent side-wall of the pit,

to form a table-section upon which one pair of wheels of a truck isadapted to be spotted so that that pair of wheels can be raised orlowered independently of the other wheels on the locomotive or truck.The outer end of the table-section d is substantially conterminous withthe adjacent ends of the beams IU of table-section c. Table-section dcomprises channeled side-beams IS, a cross-beam 20 at its outer end, anda crossbeam 2| at its inner end, which are secured together to provide arigid rectangular framestructure. Longitudinal I-beams 22 are fixed to,and extend between, cross-beams 20 and 2| to support rail-sections dwhich extend from end to end of table-section d. A floor cl is laid overbeams I9, 20 and 2| between beams Ill of tablesection d. A pair of bolts25 are slidably mounted in guides 26 fixed to beams 22 and are adaptedto project from the outer end of table-section d to engage the beam 6 inone of the pit-walls to support table-section d from the pit. A pair ofbolts 21 are slidably mounted in guides fixed adjacent the inner ends ofbeams 22 to support the inner end of table-section d from the cross-beamI2 of table-section c. A hand-lever 28 is fixed to a shaft 29 which isjournaled in the beams l9 and is provided with oppositely extending arms30 which are connected by links 3| to bolts 25 and 21, respectively,When the lever 28 is shifted to project the bolts 25, 2?, bolts 25 willengage beam e in one wall of the pit and bolts 21 will engage cross-beaml2 of table-section 0 so that table-section d will be supported partlyby the pit-wall and partly by the table-section c.

A characteristic of the table-structure described is that thetable-section c comprises beams which are adapted to extend completelyacross the pit and an end-portion which carries rail-sections c whichextend from one end of table-section d to the meeting end of table-section d. Table-section d is of sufiicient area to support one or morepairs of wheels of a truck or a locomotive. The table-section d isadapted to support one pair of wheels and is provided with rail-sectionsd which extend from the meeting line of the inner ends of thetable-sections to the other side of the pit so that the table requiresonly two pairs of rail-sections with a single joint between them forspanning the pit or the rail-sections 1) of the shop. When thetable-section d is unlocked from table-section c and both sections areunlocked from the pit, they can be conjointly raised and lowered by thelifting mechanism to raise and lower all of the wheels on both sectionsof the table. When table-section c is locked to the pit andtable-section d is unlocked from the pit and table-section c, it can beraised or lowered independently of section 0 to raise or lower a singlepair of wheels spotted on section (1.

The lifting mechanism comprises the vertically movable carriage 1 whichis built up of longitudinal I-beams 34, a pair of channeled cross-beamsat one end, and a pair of cross-beams 36 at the other end, of thecarriage, and a cross-beam 31, all rigidly secured together. Thecross-beams of each of said pairs are fixedly secured together andspaced apart by saddles 38. The mechanism for raising and loweringcarriage 1 comprises a series of four vertical screws 40 which arethreaded to nuts ll, upon which the saddles 38 of carriage j aresupported. These screws are mounted upon a trolley g which is providedwith wheels g adapted to travel on rails g on the bottom of the pit.Each screw ill is supported in a gear-case 42 which is supported on thetrolley. The upper end. of each screw 40 is journaled in a bearing 40 inthe upper end of one of the channeled guide-posts f which are fixedlysecured to the gear-cases 42, respectively. The outer ends of thecross-beams 35, 35 extend into the channels of said posts to guide thecarriage J vertically. A gear 63 is fixed to the lower end of each screw40, and a pinion 44 meshes with, and is adapted to drive, each gear 43.The pinio-ns 44 in the gear-case 42 at one side of the trolley aredriven by a shaft 45 which is driven from an electric motor 46 throughsuitable reduction gearing ll. Gears 43 at the other side of the trolleyare each driven by a cross-shaft 48 provided with pinions 49 meshing,respectively, With the gears 43 on the opposite sides of the trolley,This provides gearing for simultaneously rotating the screws 40 forrectilinearly raising and lowering the lifting carriage f.

In practice, it is desirable to provide for selectively lifting abovetrack-level both table-sec tions, for uncoupling a truck or plurality ofwheels, or the table-section 0. independently, for uncoupling a singlepair of wheels.

For the purpose of lifting both sections, crossbeams 35 at one end oflifting-carriage f, are i adapted to engage the under-face of side-beamsl0 and longitudinal beams c of table-section c and the cross-beams 35 atthe other end of carriage J are adapted to engage the under-face ofside-beams Ill and the longitudinal beams 22 of table-section d. One ofthe longitudinal beams 34 of the lifting carriage also engages one ofthe longitudinal beams c of table-section c and one of the beams 22 oftable-section d. Cross-beam 3'! also engages the under-face of the innerend of beams 22 of table-section d.

For the purpose of raising table-section at above track-levelindependently of table-section c, a pair of outer blocks and a pair ofinner blocks 5! are fixedly secured to the top of the lifting carriageI. When both sections of the table are to be lifted together the trolleyand lifting carriage will be shifted along the pit so blocks 56, 5! onthe lifting carriage will be out of vertical alignment with thelongitudinal beams 22 of tablesection at and beams c of table-section c,as shown in Fig. 6, so that they will permit the lifting carriage to beraised to engage both of the table-sections for simultaneous lifting.When the table-section d is to be raised independently of table-sectionc the trolley is shifted in the pit so the blocks 5%, M at one side ofthe lifting carriage will engage only one of the longitudinal beams 22and the blocks 5! 5i at the other side of the lifting carriage will abutagainst the other longitudinal beam 22 when the lifting-carriage israised. As a result, when the lifting-carriage is raised while theblocks 52 are operatively positioned to engage beams 22 of table-sectiond, that section will be raised above track-level, as illustrated in Fig.7. This exemplifies acompound drop pit table with a lifting-structure,which, by being brought into different positions in the pit, may beselectively positioned to lift one or both of the table-sections abovetrack-level. By utilizing the movement of the trolley and liftingcarriage, with the lifting carriage thereon for this purpose, thenecessity of providing devices which are movably connected to thetable-section or lifting-carriage for that purpose, is avoided.

In order to prevent the main table section 0 from being released fromthe beams e at both sides of the pit, Without first releasing the bolts"25 which engage one of the pit-beams e, a device is provided. forpreventing lever i5 and its shifting connections for bolts l3, whichsupport table-section 0, from being shifted to release bolts it from thepit-Walls. This device comprises an abutment ii} supported on rods 5!which are slidably mounted in cross-beam l2 and adapted to engage theinner end of one of the bolts 21 on table-section d. Rods bl areconnected by a link 62 to an arm 63 which is fixed to the cross-shaft Hito which lever i5 is fixed. When bolts 25 and 2? on table-section d arein their locking position, abutment 50 will be positioned to engage theinner face of one of the bolts 21', to prevent the shift of lever l5 andshaft it to release the locking bolts 53 for the table-section c. Whenbolts 25, Zlare in looking position, links 3%, through which said boltsare shifted, are in substantially dead-center relation to shaft 29 sothat said bolt 2? will prevent movement of the abutment 6B. Thisexemplifies means for preventing the main table-section 0, which spansthe pit, from being released for lowering movement thereof without firstreleasing the locking bolts for the auxiliary tablesection (2. Thisprevents any lowering movement of the auxiliary table-section cZ untilthe locking bolts 2? are shifted to unlocldng position so that thetable-section d can be lowered synchronously and rectilinearly withsection 0.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details setforth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appendedclaims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a drop table, the combination of a vertically movabletable-section comprising a rigid structure adapted to extend. completelyacross the drop pit and provided with a space which is open at one endof the table and with rail sections extending from the inner end of saidspace to the wall at one side of the pit, an auxiliary section fittingin, and provided with rail-sections for extending across the open-endedspace from its inner end to the wall at the opposite side of the pit,the auxiliary section being separable from and lowerable independentlyof the rigid structure and means for releasably supporting the sectionsin the pit.

2. In a drop table, the combination of a vertically movabletable-section comprising a rigid structure adapted to extend completelyacross a drop pit and provided with beams forming three sides of a spacewhich is open at one end of the table and with rail sections extendingfrom the inner end of said space to the wall at one side of the pit, asubstantially rectangular auxiliary section fitting in, and providedwith rail-sections for extending across the open-ended space from itsinner end to the wall at the opposite side of the pit, the auxiliarysection being separable from and lowerable independently of the rigidstructure and means for releasably supporting the sections in the pit.

3. In a drop table, the combination of a vertically movabletable-section comprising a rigid structure adapted to extend completelyacross a drop pit and provided with a space which is open at one end ofthe table and with rail-sections extending from the inner end of saidspace to the wall at one side of the pit, an auxiliary section fittingin, and provided with rail-sections for extending across the open-endedspace from its inner end to the wall at the opposite side of the pit,the auxiliary section being separable from and lowerable independentlyof the rigid structure, means for releasably supporting the main sectionfrom the pit-walls, and means for releasably suporting the auxiliarysection from the main table-section and one of the pit-walls.

l. In a drop pit-table, the combination of a vertically movable maintable-section and a vertically movable auxiliary table-section, the maintable-section comprising a rigid structure provided with rail-sectionsthereon of sufiicient length to support one or more pairs of wheelsadjacent one end of the table and one side of the pit, and with rigidside-members projecting be yond said rail-sections and extending to theother end of the table and the other side of the pit, the main Section,with said projecting members, forming an open-ended space at said otherend of the table and said other side of the pit, the auxiliary section,fitting in said space, being provided with rail-sections andsubstantially conterminous with one end of the projecting members andthe open end of said space, and meeting the adjacent pit-wall so that sothat a pair of Wheels on the auxiliary section may run directly from theauxiliary section onto the adjacent side of the pit, the auxiliarysection being separable from. and lowerable independently of the maintable section, means for releasably supporting the mainscction from thepit-walls and in pit-bridging position, and means for releasablysupporting the auxiliary table-section in said open-ended space.

5. In a drop pit-table, the combination of a vertically movable maintable-section and a vertically movable auxiliary table-section, the maintable section comprising a rigid structure provided with rails thereonof sufdcient length to support one or more pairs of wheels adjacent oneend of the table and one side of the pit, and provided with rigidside-beams extending across the pit and projecting beyond saidrail-sections to the other side of the pit, the main section, with theprojecting portions of the beams, forming an open-ended space at saidother end of the table and said other side of the pit, the auxiliarysection, fiting in said space, being provided with rai1- sections andsubstantially conterminous with the projecting ends of said beams andthe open end of said space, and meeting the adjacent pit-wall so that apair of wheels on the auxiliary section may run directly from theauxiliary section onto the adjacent side of the pit, the auxiliarysection being separable from and lowerable independently of the maintable section; means for releasably supporting the main section from thepit-walls and in pit-bridging position, and means for releasablysupporting the auxiliary tablesection in said open-ended space.

6. In a drop pit-table, the combination or a vertically movable maintable-section and a vertically movable auxiliary table-section, the maintable section comprising a rigid structure provided with longitudinalbeams having rail-sections thereon of suflicient length to support oneor more pairs of wheels adjacent one end of the table and one side ofthe pit and with rigid sidebeams projecting from beyond therail-sections and extending to the other end of the table and the otherside of the pit, the main section, with said projecting members, formingan open-ended space at said other end of the table and said other sideof the pit, the auxiliary section, fitting in said space, being providedwith rail-sections, and substantially conterminous with the projectingends of said side-beams and. the open end of said space, and meeetingthe adjacent pit-wall so that a pair of wheels on the auxiliary sectionmay run directly from the auxiliary section onto the adjacent side ofthe pit, the auxiliary section being separable from and lowerableindependently of the main table section, means for releasably supportingthe main section from the pit-Walls and in pit-bridging position, andmeans for releasably supporting the auxiliary tablesection from thepit-wall and from the main section in said open-ended space.

'7. In a drop table, the combination of a main table-section comprisingrigidly connected sidebeams for extending entirely across a pit, acrossbeam at one end of said side-beams, and a crossbeam disposedinwardly of the other end or" said side-beams, the space between saidinwardly disposed cross-beam and said other end of the sidebeamsproviding a space with an open end at the other end of the maintable-section, raihsections extending over the area between the end andinwardly disposed cross-beams of the main table-section, an auxiliarytable-section fitting in said open-ended space and meeting the inwardlydisposed cross-beam and the side-beams, railsections on the auxiliarytable-section for con1- pletely extending across the space between therail-sections on the main table-section and one side of the pit, theauxiliary table section being separable from and lowerable independentlyof the main table section and means for releasably supporting both ofthe table-sections.

8. In a drop table, the combination of a main table-section comprisingrigidly connected sidebeams for extending entirely across a pit, across-bearn at one end of said sidebeams, and a cross-beam disposedinwardly of the other end of said side-beams, the space between saidinwardly disposed cross-beam and said other end of the side-beamsproviding a space with an open end at the other end or" the maintable-section, rail-sections extending over the area between the end andinwardly disposed cross-beams of the main table-section, an auxiliarytable-section fit-- ting in said open-ended space and meeting theinwardly disposed cross-beam and the sidebeams, rail-sections on theauxiliary table-section for completely extending across the spacebetween the rail-sections on the main table-section and one side of thepit, the auxiliary section being separable from and lowerable independ-'ently of the main table-section, means for releasably supporting themain table section from the pit-walls, and means for releasablysupporting the auxiliary table-section from one of the pit-walls and themain table-section.

9. In a drop table, the combination of a main table-section comprisingrigidly connected sidebeams for extending entirely across a pit, across-beam at one end of said side-beams, and a cross-beam disposedinwardly of the other end of said side-beams, the space between saidinwardly disposed cross-beam and said other end of the side-beamsproviding a space with an open end at the other end of the maintable-section, rail-sections extending over the area between the end andinwardly disposed cross-beams of the main table-section, an auxiliarytable-section fitting in said open-ended space and meeting the inwardlydisposed cross-beam and the sidebeains, rail-sections on the auxiliarytable-section for completely extending across the space between therails or the main table-section and one side of the pit, the auxiliarytable-section comprising side and cross-beams, the auxiliarytable-section being separable from and lower-able independently of themain table-section, means for releasably supporting the maintable-section from the pit-walls, and means carried by the ends of theside-beams of the auxiliary table, for releasably engaging the inwardlydisposed crossbeam of the main table-section and the adjacent pit-walls,to support the auxiliary table-section.

10. In a drop pit apparatus, the combination of a drop table comprisinga pair of table-sections, means for releasably supporting one of thesections from the pit, means for rel-easably supporting the othertable-section in pit-bridging position, a lifting carriage movablevertically and laterally in the pit and means on, and positioned by thelateral movement of, the carriage relatively to the table, forselectively engaging and lifting both table-sections or engaging andlifting one of the sections independently of the other.

11. In drop pit apparatus, the combination of a drop table comprising apair of table-sections, means for releasably supporting one of thesections from the pit, means for releasably supporting the othertable-section in pit-bridging position, a lifting carriage movablevertically and laterally in the pit and blocks, rigid on, and mov ablelaterally with, the carriage relatively to the table, for selectivelyengaging and lifting both table-sections or engaging and lifting one ofthe sections independently of the other.

12. In drop pit apparatus, the combination of a main ta le-sectionadapted to extend entirely across the pit, means for releasablysupporting the main section from the pit, said main-section beingprovided with an opening therein, an aux iliary table-section fittingsaid opening, means for releasably supporting the auxiliarytable-section from the pit and main-table section, and means forpreventing the release of the supporting means for the main sectionunless the supporting means for the auxiliary section is released.

13. In drop pit apparatus, the combination of a main table-sectionadapted to extend entirely across the pit, means for releasablysupporting the main section from the pit, said main-section beingprovided with opening therein, an aux iliary table-section fitting insaid opening, means for releasably supporting the auxiliarytable-section from one side of the pit and from the main-table section,and means for locking the supporting means for the main section againstrelease, controlled by the supporting means for the auxiliary section.

14. In drop pit apparatus, the combination of a main table-sectionadapted to extend entirely across the pit, bolts for releasablysupporting both ends of the'main section from the pit, said main-sectionbeing provided with an opening therein, an auxiliary table-sectionfitting in said opening, bolts for releasably supporting the auxiliarytable-section from one side of the pit and the main-table section, andmeans for lool ing the bolts for supporting the main section againstrelease, controlled by one of the bolts for supporting the auxiliarysection.

15. In drop pit apparatus, the combination of a drop table comprising apair of vertically movable table-sections, means for releasablysupporting one of the sections from the pit, means for supporting theother section in pit-bridging position, and a lifting carriage movablevertically and laterally in the pit, said carriage and. tableseetionsbeing provided. with fixed thereon respectively, which, by the lateralmovement of the carriage relatively to the table, can be corelativelypositioned for selectively lifting and engaging both talele-sections orfor engaging and lifting one or" the sections independently of theother.

HUGH K. CHRISTIE.

